


Apparition - Crazy Cat Tale Version

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [1358]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 15:16:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20449217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: McGee is given his first task for the prophecy... Or is he? And what is with the warnings and the Director?





	Apparition - Crazy Cat Tale Version

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jane_x80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane_x80/gifts).

> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 01/18/2003 for the word [apparition](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2003/01/18/apparition).
> 
> apparition[ ap-uh-rish-uhn ]  
noun  
a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost; a specter or phantom;wraith:  
a ghostly apparition at midnight.  
anything that appears, especially something remarkable or startling:  
the surprising apparition of cowboys in New York City.  
an act of appearing; manifestation.  
Astronomy. the appearance or time when a comet, especially a periodic one, is visible:  
the 1986 apparition of Halley's comet.
> 
> This is for jane_x80 as it's her comments that led to this series starting. You can find the comments on previous entries in the series. 
> 
> This is a continuation of [Portend](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8885206), [Ratiocination](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8907304), [Equivocate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8919556)... [Remunerate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12740088), [Conflate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789753), [Bilious](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12815319), [Tintinnabulation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12849654), [Agitprop](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12923004), [Voluble - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13377990), [Desideratum - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13775349), [Farrago - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13813989), [Proclivity - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13888944), [Recalcitrant - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030937), [Collude - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15263964), [Vociferous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15491991), [Fulminate - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15659430), [Chagrin - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16019081), [Tortuous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16028429), [Perspicacity - Cracy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16130096), [Hirsute - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16694437), [Recondite - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17473211), [Fortuitous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18732697), [Legerdemain - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777826), [Moiety - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18826204), [Mercurial - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18883795), [Effulgence - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19101709), [Cadre - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19201240), [Clarion - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19251184), [Beneficence - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19305271), [Foment - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19447312), [Encumbrance - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19740205), [Meticulous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19791220), [Irrefragable - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19897759), [Posit - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20001178), [Propinquity - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20080516), [Subfusc - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20121871), [Pugilist - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20177194), [Provenance - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20324389), and [Gloaming - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20375050).
> 
> As always comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated.

“Bishop?” McGee’s voice rose an octave at the end of her name as he entered the kitchen and saw the apparition floating behind her.

“Yes?”

“What is that?” McGee pointed to the very transparent thing hovering.

“I believe it’s a ghost.”

“Ok…” McGee drawled out slowly, “But what is it doing here?”

Bishop shrugged. “It was here and then it was not.”

“The bang will sound. The wizard will appear. The widow will explain.” The ghost intoned in a deep voice.

“Explain? Explain what?”

“The task has started. You must be prepared. Do not forget the grass.”

“What? Bishop?” McGee sputtered in confusion.

“Shh.” Bishop hushed him as she watched the spirit and waited for the rest of the wisdom he had to impart.

“Do not let the red haired one know. This is a sacred matter only for those in the prophecy.”

Bishop nodded and gestured for the specter to continue on.

“The doorway must be protected at all costs until the King can return to protect it.”

“Wait. The Director was right? There’s actually a doorway to another dimension here? Can we go through it?”

“You should not. You will fail in your task and all will be at risk if you enter.”

“Well that’s not ominous, at all,” Bishop muttered.

“Be careful. The fate of all depends on you.” With that final warning, the apparition vanished.

“Damn it.” McGee cursed, “What the hell is going on here?”

“I think you’ve just been given your first task.”

“Which is what? Stand here and look pretty and chase the Director away if she appears?”

Bishop shook her head. “I think it’s more complicated than that. I think we or at least you, are supposed to hide the doorway.”

“I don’t even know where the doorway is. How can I hide it?”

“I’m pretty sure this entire room is the doorway somehow. That’s why I wasn’t here when you first went through the apartment. I think you provide a grounding presence somehow, probably part of the reason you’re so good with computers too.”

”So what did it mean don’t forget the grass?”

“That could have been simply talking about you since your name means grass or it could mean something else entirely. Either way, we’ll have to tread carefully so that we don’t tip off the Director. Do you have one of those things that can detect electromagnetic waves?”

“You mean like an ESP detector? Don’t be silly. Those aren’t really a thing.”

“You just saw a ghost and still believe they aren’t real?” Bishop raised an eyebrow.

McGee flushed. “I was really hoping it was a figment of my imagination.”

“No. I saw it, too.”

McGee sighed. “Why do you want to detect electromagnetic waves anyway?”

“I think the reason you were given this task is that we need to set up some electronic disturbance to mask the electric signals the portal gives off.”

“Wait here and whatever you do, don’t enter the portal. I think I know exactly what we’ll need.”

Bishop nodded, though she wasn’t looking forward to standing here and protecting the portal for whatever duration McGee was gone. She also wasn’t sure if she could actually stay out of the portal. She was pretty sure she’d already gone through it once, or at least partially gone through it like the whole room had phased or something.

McGee didn’t pay any attention to the worries that Bishop had, however, and immediately took off running out of the apartment and down the stairs to the truck. Of course, he practically ran smack dab into the Director. 

“McGee? What did you find? Did you find the portal?”

“No, Director. There’s nothing here. We’ve searched the apartment and the street.” McGee broke out in a sweat about lying to the Director, but he knew he absolutely had to keep her away from the apartment.

The Director frowned. “Are you sure? I was positive that it was here.”

“Quite sure, Director. Bishop has already headed back and I’m about to do the same.”

Jenny stared at McGee for a long time as if trying to determine if he was lying or not. Finally, she nodded and turned around and left. McGee breathed a sigh of relief and texted Bishop, “I just ran into the Director and told her that you went back to headquarters. So you should probably start preparing excuses for why she can’t find you there when we do return.”

Bishop glanced at the text and rolled her eyes. Still, at least, he had prevented the Director from investigating the apartment. Now, if only he would hurry back. 

McGee climbed into the NCIS vehicle and took off for his apartment as fast as he dared too. He didn’t want to tip off the Director if she was watching him. He really hoped she’d accepted what he said and returned to headquarters, but he had a feeling that his luck wasn’t going that way.

Sure enough, he spotted a vehicle following him. He cursed and tried to figure out his next plan. He couldn’t go back to his apartment like this. 

He would have to go to headquarters and hope he lost her on the way and enlist Abby’s help if he didn’t. He still had no idea what the ghost meant about not forgetting the grass. Maybe Abby could figure that out too.

He quickly texted Abby what had happened and asked her to prepare a distraction for the Director, preferably one that would make the Director think that McGee and Bishop were at headquarters when they weren’t and also to figure out what the specter might have meant by don’t forget the grass in this context.

Abby’s responded, “Got it, but you better tell me everything when you get back, Mister. I’m clearly missing out on all the fun.”

McGee huffed. He wouldn’t call any of this fun, but that was Abby for you. With a plan in place, he made sure he looked like he was taking the normal freeway routes to headquarters and sped up to put multiple cars in between him and the one following him. He hoped that they would continue on to headquarters and not notice him getting off the freeway at the next exit.

**Author's Note:**

> The dictionary.com series has 1 story already written for it after this one, so I will be posting at least 1 stories before I stop posting again. I have no Crazy Cat Tale update written, but hopefully I'll get more written soon. Wish me luck!
> 
> It's 2019 now and I have closed my 2018 Prompt collection, but fear not my 2019 Prompt Collection is now open [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/cutsycat_NCIS_Prompts_2019/profile). Just click the sign up link. ;) It will remain open until the beginning of 2020. I'm hoping to complete all the 2019 prompts by the end of 2020. Do not fear I have not forgotten about the 2018 prompts and will continue working through them. It's just easier for me to not get overwhelmed if I keep the prompts separated by the year they were given to me.
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes. Please note if you have already voted in the poll and would like to request more stories you can just add a comment to the poll. Please include the name along with the prompt, so that I can appropriately gift the prompt to you.
> 
> For any authors that want to chat and/or are looking for a place where they can toss plot ideas around and get input from people, you can come join my discord server that is specifically geared towards writing/encouraging people to write and authors. The invite link is [here](https://discord.gg/HFvwpCq). If you're not an author, but want to chat with me about writing/stories or anything else you are welcome to join. I reserve the right to boot you from my server if all you do is pester me about updates, however. *grin* Really anyone who wants to talk about writing and/or plot ideas for various stories is welcome to join. 
> 
> I do not currently have a discord dedicated to my stories. If anyone would be interested in joining a group chat server that is focused on my stories please comment below. Also, if you would like such a thing what kind of things would you like to know about? Please share those with me.
> 
> Also, Drakonyashka has translated a couple of my works into Russian. [Tutelage](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378780) and [Imbue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378840). Go support them. 


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